It won’t be much longer before Westlock County will resolve its peat-burning ban endeavour.
On April 16, county councillors are planning to hold a special council meeting to pass first reading of the county’s new Fire Protection Bylaw. The meeting comes nearly 10 months after the county first banned peat burning on June 26, 2012.
County CAO Edward LeBlanc said the April 16 meeting would only be for passing first reading, but a public hearing is scheduled for April 23. Its purpose is to give county residents an opportunity to tell councillors what they think of the bylaw.
“Council is interested in getting some feedback and a response from the public,” LeBlanc said.
The public hearing on April 23 will take place at 1 p.m. during the regularly scheduled council meeting.
“Council will digest the information,” LeBlanc said.
“After everyone has had their opportunity to speak, either in opposition to or in favour of the bylaw, council will be in a position to pass second and third reading.”
However, there are no guarantees second and third reading will happen on April 23.
No public input will be accepted during the April 16 meeting, LeBlanc said. The purpose of the meeting is simply to create a document that is the county’s draft position. The bylaw will be available for residents to read and see if it meets their expectations.
The issue surrounding a peat-burning ban first raised its head during an in camera session at the June 26, 2012 county council meeting. When councillors came out of the in camera session, they voted to enact a ban on burning peat. At the time, the smoke and road safety was the reason given for the ban.
At the July 17 meeting, new Coun. Jim Wiese questioned why the decision to enact the ban was made in camera, as he could not see how it could be considered a land, legal or personnel matter — the three subjects public bodies are allowed to debate behind closed doors.
In the midst of a debate with Wiese, Navratil admitted the discussion about the ban should have taken place in an open meeting.
As a result of the new ban, the Westlock Right to Farm association was founded, and met with councillors during the July 31 meeting to try and come up with a mutually agreeable solution.
On Sept. 25, councillors tabled two proposed changes to the county’s Fire Protection bylaw. However, they voted to maintain a moratorium on peat burning that had been in place since the June 26 meeting.
